The imagery selected represents the Blue Hills. The people take their name from the indigenous name for the Blue Hills.?

We are residing on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Massachusett people, whose name was appropriated by this Commonwealth.?

We pay respect to the Massachusett elders past and present. We acknowledge the truth of violence perpetrated in the name of this country and make a commitment to uncovering that truth.?

The word Massachusett?is an Algonquin Indian word which roughly translates to “large hill place” or “at the great hill.” In the native language the word is spelled massa-adchu-es-et, where “massa” means “large,” “adchu” means “hill,” “es” is a diminutive suffix and “et” is a locative suffix that identifies a place. The word Massachusett specifically refers to the Great Blue Hill in Milton, Massachusetts historically known as Neponset.

The violence directed towards Indigenous, Native, Aboriginal, First Nation, and First Peoples is ongoing. This violence is present when Indigenous people’s histories are erased, their cultures are trivialized, their resources are seized, their labor is exploited, their children are stolen, and their lives are taken. In order to fight against this violence, occupiers of this land must listen and amplify Indigenous people’s voices, while fighting against their complicity.?

Special thanks to Elizabeth Solomon and John Peters for providing their insight and expertise.?Elizabeth Solomon is an enrolled member of the Massachusett Ponkapoag tribe and is an officer of their tribal council.